Prelude to Insanity
by MagicMan01
Summary: An original backstory for how Beyond Birthday left Wammy's House before committing the murders in Los Angeles. Oneshot.


**This oneshot is simply my imagining of how Beyond Birthday went insane and left Wammy's House before committing the murders in Los Angeles, California. Unfortunately, there is **_**very**_** little information on him to begin with and even less so about how he left Wammy's, so almost this entire story is pure speculation and personal perspective on my part. Even after reading **_**Death Note: Another Note - The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases**_** and doing a lot of Internet research, I still couldn't dig up very much on him, so needless to say, he's quite the mystery. Anyway, enjoy, and please review when finished!**

**-Disclaimer- I claim no ownership whatsoever of the Death Note manga, anime, or any other related media (i.e. **_**Death Note: Another Note**_**).**

* * *

_**Prelude to Insanity**_

Though the day started out like it always did at Wammy's House, Beyond Birthday knew it would be anything but that by the end. Keyword: "knew," not "thought." He _knew _this day would be different than any other here because by sundown, he would no longer be living in this place.

Not just Wammy's House or even Winchester, but England, period. Hell, he'd probably be leaving Europe. He had an idea of where he would be moving to, but there was one last thing he had to do before he could leave for good.

As he walked through the long, wide halls of the place he had known for more than half of his whole life, Beyond brought his thumb to his mouth and chewed at the nail. The habit was anything but nervousness; it was more or less anxiety. It was one of many things he had picked up on after the one time L had visited the orphanage, the very man he was supposed to surpass were anything to ever happen to him. Beyond was genuinely surprised to see that L's actual first name was, indeed, L, while his last was Lawliet. He originally figured the "L" had stood for a longer name or was just his working title.

Of course, Beyond didn't ask the detective his name when he arrived. He hadn't even met the man in person, rather choosing to secretly eavesdrop on a conversation held between him and Watari. No, he'd known his name the second he walked through the front door in that hunched over fashion of his. Not only that, but he had also seen his lifespan as well. This, of course, was only possible due to the fact that he had been born with Shinigami Eyes and could see such things because of them.

Unfortunately, Beyond had learned that this was both a blessing and a curse from an early age.

He considered it a blessing because of the information he could see that people either wouldn't want to share or were simply unaware of and use it for his own personal gain.

However, it was also a curse because he was constantly surrounded by death. It hadn't taken him very long to make sense of the numbers and learn how to calculate them, and it took him even less time to realize that the lower a person's number, the less time they had to live. Every time he even glanced at someone, he would constantly be reminded of just how short life really was.

This, along with the deaths of his parents when he was too young to even fully understand what "death" actually was, had almost completely desensitized him to the point of pure apathy. He really was only concerned with his own personal life. Ever since the day he was brought to the orphanage, he had never once considered getting to know or befriending any other human being he'd come across.

Simply put, he just didn't care.

For B, as he'd come to be known in the orphanage, Wammy's House was much less a manor for young children than a prison for them. There were too many rules for his taste; disciplinary standards, curfews, required assessments to take... it was just too confining. Of course, he was brilliant and performed exceptionally well on the tests, but it wasn't as if he actually _enjoyed_ them. They were just another mundane task he'd grown accustomed to over the years.

He wasn't particularly surprised to discover that he wasn't the only one who recognized himself for the kind of person he really was, either; he figured someone else at Wammy's would have eventually. However, he was somewhat shocked at _who _had observed this change in him.

It was Roger Ruvie, the manager of the orphanage when its owner, Quillish Wammy - or Watari, as B had heard him called that before - was absent. Roger hadn't approached B directly about the subject, considering his lack of good social skills and particular distaste for children. Instead, he called Wammy to inform him about the situation involving L's young successor.

At the time, B had been eavesdropping just outside of the locked office, as he often did when no one else was around. He was about to leave when he heard an interesting conversation take place. It got his full attention when he heard his own name mentioned during the call.

Unfortunately, the heavy oak door prevented much of the conversation from leaving the office itself, but B was able to make out enough of it to understand what was going on. Apparently, Roger was concerned about B's condition, which he cited as "problematic" and a "serious endangerment to the whole program." The talk dragged on for several more minutes before B heard the two men hang up.

So, they thought he was a "problem."

An outcast.

A _freak_.

Obviously, they were concerned with his well-being, but he knew their reasoning behind it; he had to be in top intellectual shape to take over the role of L if its owner were to suddenly die.

After all, they couldn't have someone mentally unstable taking over such a prestigious occupation. With the power and capability to summon and command nearly every law enforcement agency in the world at any given time from any location in the world, it was no wonder why his position was coveted by so many. Even the President of the United States, the most powerful man in the world, had been contacted by L at least once before.

They didn't care about _him_; they just cared about the title of L.

It was all a game, and he was just a mere pawn to be used for a larger play to win. But he wouldn't be participating in this little "match" of theirs any longer. He refused to be played by them for another solitary second.

Continuing his hunched walk to Roger's office just down the hall, B thought of some things he could say to him and even mentally predicted how the conversation between the two of them would go. However, he shook his head and discarded the thoughts almost as fast as they had come to him. He usually did better without rehearsal or prior thought. His best ideas seemed to come to him right on the spot.

Not bothering to even knock first, B gripped the door handle and swung it open to enter the office. Roger gave a bit of a start when he looked up from his laptop to see the young successor saunter into his private quarters like he owned it. This was the very first time B had ever come to see him out of his own volition, and honestly, he was a bit curious as to what he wanted to discuss.

"Oh, uh, Beyond," he muttered as he closed the lid on his computer and folded his hands on the desk in front of him in a very businesslike manner. "I didn't hear you enter." He looked at the boy, hoping he got the hint to knock first before entering next time.

But the words and gesture were lost upon the young man. Instead, he just stared back at the manager with his dark, piercing eyes.

Roger gulped, feeling almost as though they were staring right through him. "Is there... something you wanted, B?" he pried.

"Yes, there is," Beyond answered in the usual monotone fashion he often spoke in. He didn't like to beat around the bush and was often very straightforward in the little conversation he ever had, so he decided not to delay any longer. After all, he had things to do. "I'm leaving the orphanage."

Like most other people at Wammy's, Roger wasn't usually one to show much emotion, but even the most unobservant person would have been able to see that he was obviously very surprised by this news. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't quite find the words and closed it. He did this several more times before he was finally able to say what he wanted to.

"L-Leaving? But, B, why?"

"Simple," B shrugged. "I refuse to partake in this game any longer."

"'Game?'" Roger raised his eyebrows in confusion. What the hell did he mean, "game?" He decided to ask him. "B, what do you mean by that?"

"You know what I mean, Roger. This whole program. I don't care to be a part of it anymore."

"But, B... you're the best successor we have!" the older man reasoned. "Who else could possibly fill that position?"

"I'm sure you'll find some genius toddler whose parents were killed in an alleyway mugging or something," B stated morbidly. "After all, this _is _an orphanage for the gifted. There's bound to be someone else out there."

Roger just stared at him. Not really even because of the last couple of comments, but because he honestly couldn't believe that this was happening right now. How could Beyond Birthday, quite possibly one of the most intelligent and skilled children in the world, just walk out on this program now?

What would Quillish say about this?

"B, please, try to look at this rationally! L _needs _you. What if something were to suddenly happen to him and there was no one to take over? If word got out that the world's greatest detective had died, crime rates all over the globe would skyrocket within a matter of days! You're the best chance he has in case of an untimely fate, B. You're his-"

"_No_!" Beyond angrily cut him off, staring right through him.

Roger jumped, surprised at the sudden outburst. He'd completely forgotten about that one term Beyond hated being associated with. He mentally scolded himself for being so foolish.

B knew what the older man was going to say and he would have none of it. He wouldn't allow him to call him something so... humiliating.

"Do _not _say it, Roger," he warned. "Don't even _think_ about saying it. You _know_ I hate being called that."

B was, of course, referring to his least favorite nickname, "Backup." He despised it mainly because of how degrading it sounded, but also because he refused to be affiliated with L in any way; including serving as his "backup" if anything were to happen to him. He could probably recall the number of times people had referred to him as that if he really wanted to, but he obviously never would have done so.

"I-I'm sorry, B," Roger stammered. "I didn't mean to offend you..."

His apology was somewhat genuine, but it was more or less to get out of a confrontation with the younger boy.

"It doesn't matter, Roger," B continued his stare. "Nothing you can say or do will change even one single part of my mind. I've been thinking about it for some time now and I've finally decided."

"B..." Roger tried to plea.

But it was of no use. Even he knew that once B had set his mind on something, he would stick with it until he saw it to the very end. There was nothing he could do.

"Goodbye, Roger."

B turned on his heel and shuffled out of Roger's office without ceremony. He thought about insulting him or threatening him with something, but he decided against it. It would be better to just leave here right away. The sooner he could get out of this hellhole, the better.

"B, wait!" Roger abruptly stood up from his desk and extended his arm.

B sighed heavily, rolling his eyes in annoyance as he turned around to face the old man.

"_What_, Roger?" he grumbled.

"Where will you go? What will you do?" Roger asked.

B snorted. "Why should I tell you? Besides, I seriously doubt you even genuinely care, Roger. You probably want me to tell you just so you'd be able to send some people after me and bring me back here, right? No, it'll be more interesting this way. More... fun."

He smiled in the usual manner he did, the kind of smile that would scare the living hell out of just about anybody.

Roger paled. 'Fun?' The way the young man said that word and gesticulated to emphasize it word sent shivers down his spine.

"Wh-What do you mean by that?" his speech faltered, actually terrified of what the boy could possibly be implying.

"I can't tell you that," B wagged a finger at the older man, almost like a parent letting a child know that they had just done something wrong. When Beyond did it, though, it just looked plain creepy. _Especially _with the way he kept smiling. "It would spoil the surprise."

"B, listen-" Roger started before he was cut off.

"_Enough_, Roger," B silenced him with his hand. "I've _heard _enough and I've _had _enough. I'm going now."

With that, he started for the door, leaving a confused and very nervous Roger still standing behind his desk quite dumbfounded. Just before B opened the door, though, he stopped to glance over his shoulder at the man behind him, the man he'd known over half of his life while here at Wammy's.

He looked up above Roger's head, able to see his name and lifespan. He _could_ tell him exactly how long he would live, but what would be the fun in that? B enjoyed surprises, and he enjoyed surprising people even more; though, his idea of "surprising" people was a bit warped.

"Hey, Roger," he called.

Roger looked up almost immediately at the lone figure before him at his door. Why hadn't he left already? Well, then again, he couldn't be _completely_ surprised; B always liked having the last word.

"Y-Yes?" he stuttered.

B smiled once again. "If you _do _send anyone after me, please at least make it a challenge."

Before he could even see another reaction on Roger's face, he promptly closed the door behind him and walked out of the office. It was the last time Roger would ever see him again.

The old man collapsed in his chair, just staring at the door to his office. What the hell had just happened? One minute he was all alone doing some financial work, and the next, B was in his office telling him he was running away!

How could he have let it go this far? Wammy would be... well, he didn't really want to think about that, but he couldn't imagine it would be anything pleasant. He sighed deeply to himself, dialing his old friend's number from his office phone to inform him of the unfortunate news. If only he'd known B's plans for where he was headed, he may have tried to stop him before he left the orphanage.

* * *

B quietly laughed to himself as he headed for the main door of Wammy's House.

Oh, the look on Roger's face when he told him he was leaving was just priceless! He half-wished that he'd brought a camera with him just to capture the moment. Anyway, that wasn't important right now. The important thing was for him to get out of the country as soon as possible before anyone caught up to him.

Reaching the door, he knelt down to retrieve the backpack he'd stowed behind the flower pot next to the entrance. He'd prepared it hours beforehand so he wouldn't have to double back through the orphanage to get it.

It contained some simple items for his trip: two glass jars of strawberry jam, a few volumes of _Akazukin Chacha_, a fake passport, a fair amount of American money to get him where he needed to go, and a couple other things. He unzipped it and thoroughly searched every compartment to make sure nothing had been removed or tampered with.

Satisfied and convinced that no one had messed with his pack, B threw it over his back as he stood up. Adjusting it over his shoulder, he walked out the front door of Wammy's House for the very last time, shuffling his way through the courtyard as he went. Swinging the main gate open and leaving the accursed orphanage once and for all, he started to laugh. His cackling grew in frequency and volume as he walked further and further away down the road.

* * *

**Tell me what you think of the oneshot in your reviews! I'd love to know what kind of reception it gets. Good or bad, every little thing helps. I have a **_**lot **_**more Death Note fics in mind, so this will just be the first of many that I will publish. Well, hope you liked it, and see you around!**


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